The Energy Coach: Optimizing Renewal To Fuel Focus

I had a coaching conversation last week with an executive from a large bank, Brad, who shared with me the practices he has recently implemented. He chose a particularly unique one that has had such a dramatic impact on his energy and the quality of his life that I thought it was worth sharing.

Practice:

Brad decided that he was going to completely separate his work communication from his personal communication. In order to accomplish this, his first action step before implementing his practice was to purchase a second blackberry solely for personal use.

He informed his friends and family of his new number and instructed them not to use his old/work number anymore. He let his boss and assistant know that he was now using only a personal number when he was not working and gave it to them in the event that they needed to reach him urgently.

His practice was that when he was not working and with his family he would only carry his personal blackberry, allowing him to completely disconnect from work. If he needed to check his personal messages, he wouldn't inadvertently see an incoming work email that might trigger him emotionally and/or distract him mentally.

What this practice accomplishes is to eliminate the "grey zones," when we are partially engaged in multiple activities but fully engaged in none. When we are with our families and intermittently checking our work emails, it depletes our energy and doesn't serve either activity well. In addition, it tends to raise our anxiety.

Now more than ever we need to reinsert the boundaries in our lives between work and home so that when we are working, we are fully engaged in our work and when we are not working we are fully disengaged.

How can you add boundaries that will allow you to fully disengage for distinct amounts of time? How can you be more intentional about eliminating your grey zones?